


Sorry Isn't Going To Bring Him Back

by MissAllySwan



Category: One Tree Hill
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Episode Related, F/M, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Season/Series 03, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 09:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24348772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissAllySwan/pseuds/MissAllySwan
Summary: "Sorry isn't going to bring him back now, is it?" Keith is dead. Karen and Lucas are in pain. Karen goes off on Lucas after learning he pulled Dan out of the fire. Who will help them with their pain? One-Shot.
Relationships: Peyton Sawyer/Lucas Scott





	Sorry Isn't Going To Bring Him Back

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill.

* * *

Lucas' POV

I sat there in my car as I glanced back at the house in my rearview mirror. I wipe the tears from my eyes and then turn the key. I could go back in there. I couldn't stay there. I couldn't bare it. I couldn't walk by the picture frames on the wall of Keith, myself, and my mom. I couldn't walk by the kitchen without thinking about how Keith told me he wanted to adopt me; it's too painful.

And I didn't want her to look at me like she hates me; it hurts too much to know she does.

…

_"Did you pull Dan out of that fire?"_

_"Mom—"_

_"You selfish, stupid boy." She raised her voice._ _"Just once think about me and what my life would be like if I lost you?_ _Running into burning buildings, high schools with guns—did I raise an idiot?" She looked at me with so much anger in her eyes. Though she had every right to be._

_I was stupid. I am stupid._

_"I know! Okay! I know!" I replied, raising my voice, before I glanced down at my hands that were grasping the sheets of my bed. My hands were beginning to tremble and my eyes filled with tears. I hate myself. "It's my fault! If I didn't go back in there, Keith would still be alive." Tears fell down my face as I looked at my mom, whom looked so angry at me. Does she hate me as much as I hate myself?_

_"I know that. I'm sorry."_

_"Well, sorry isn't going to bring him back, is it?" That was the last thing she said to me._

_I guess I got my answer; she hates me more._

_…_

I couldn't stay there.

I couldn't talk to anyone.

Not Nathan. It's like this didn't even affect him. All he did was spend his time making out with Haley. I know he wasn't as close with Keith, but it's almost like he doesn't care; it seems like Dan cares more than him and he was awful to him.

Not Brooke. She thinks the answer to feeling better is to party.

Not my mom. She just hates me. She hates more than I hate myself, which I don't blame her. It's all my fault. Keith would still be here if it wasn't for me. If I hadn't been so stupid to go in there, maybe Keith would be here.

Or better yet.

If I hadn't been born, maybe Keith would still be here.

* * *

Peyton's POV

I was sitting in bed, just relieved to be in my own bed. Then I look over as Lucas walks in.

"Lucas?" I try to sit up.

"Sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, it's okay." I tell him. I was happy to see him, but I quickly realized that something was wrong. "But are you okay?" I ask, but even more quickly, I realized that was a stupid question. Keith was dead. He was like a dad to him; of course he isn't okay.

I certainly wasn't okay for a long time after my mom died.

Sometimes I'm still not okay about it.

"Not really." Lucas said, his voice breaking. I patted the right side of my bed after I moved, giving Lucas a place to sit. He needed to sit down.

"Come sit."

He sits down.

"I'm so sorry about Keith, Luke." I say.

"I know." Lucas says as I get him to lay down. "Thanks."

"I heard they were having a party at the school tonight." I say. Out of all of Brooke's crazy ideas, that had to be one of the craziest, thinking that a party at the school where his uncle was killed would make him feel better. I guess that could work for her and Rachel, but that's not us; I certainly am not ready to go back there yet.

"I left."

"Why aren't you home with your mom?" I ask. For some reason, I thought Lucas would be staying with his mom.

"I can't."

"Why? I get it's probably hard with all those pictures and stuff. I know. It was like that when my mom died, but I'm sure being together right now would be good for you. For both of you."

"She hates me."

"No, she doesn't." I shook my head.

"I don't blame her."

"Luke—"

"She's right. It's my fault. It's my fault, Keith's dead. If I hadn't gone back in there—or if I got out of there with you sooner, he wouldn't have gone in." Lucas told him.

"Lucas—Luke, hey, it wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was."

"Lucas, it wasn't your fault. It's terrible what happened to Keith and I know you miss him, but it's not your fault. After Keith knew you were safe, he decided to stay. He knew he could die in there. It was his decision. He wanted to try and help Jim. And I think he would have gone in there whether you were in there or not." I tell him. Then I wrap my arms around him as Lucas started to cry.

"I miss him, Peyton."

"I know. I know it does, but it's going to be okay." I said.

* * *

Karen's POV

I was curled up in bed, crying my eyes out in the dark. I missed him so much. I missed him so much I put on one of his old shirts just so I could smell him. God, why did it have to be Keith? Why couldn't it have been Dan? Our lives could have been easier. We could have been happy; all of us. Oh, why did Keith have to be so stupid? Why did I leave him? I should have known he would have done something stupid and Dan would have let him because he's an ass. Why did he have to leave me? Why did he have to leave us? Why did this have to happen?

"Oh Keith, I love you." I said as inhaled the smell of him from the shirt I was wearing.

"I love you, Karen." I look up and see Keith standing in front of me, smiling how he always smiled at me. I glanced at the door and then back. He was still there.

Am I dreaming? I must be.

"Keith?" Tears streamed down my face as I sat up, moving a bit closer. "Is it really you?"

He sat next to me and took my chin in his hand. I shut my eyes, loving the feeling of him touching me. God, I miss him. I just want him to touch me. I want to touch him one more time. I just want to be with him—the real Keith—for just five more minutes.

I want him back so badly.

I know I must if I'm seeing ghosts.

"Oh why did you have to go back in there?" I screamed.

"Because I had to try and do something." He tells me.

"Well it was stupid." I say. "Just like it was for Lucas to go back in there."

"People make mistakes."

"It got you killed." I said. "Why couldn't you just let the police do their job?!"

"Because that's just not me. I had to try and help him. I wanted to save him. I wanted to save Lucas and Jimmy." He said.

"That is the classic Keith Scott, isn't? Always wanting to save everyone?" I laughed a bit as I wipe a few tears. Keith smiles at me and I start to cry again. For a second, I forgot. This wasn't really Keith. "Oh Keith, I need you. I can't—I can't handle all this without you. I need you here."

"It'll be okay." He puts his hand on my shoulder and then wipes my tears away. "I may be gone, but I'm always going to be with you."

"And Karen. Lucas needs you a lot more than you need me." He adds.

"Keith—"

"He needs you, Karen. He's hurting. He blames himself." Keith tells me and I sigh. I shouldn't have yelled at him. I shouldn't have said those things I had to him. He was hurting so much and all I could think about angry I was from taking Keith from me; I didn't think about how Keith was taken from Lucas. "He needs his mom."

"I love you."

"I love you too." I said and then he kisses me.

* * *

Lucas' POV

Peyton let me stay for a while and then told me to go home.

I didn't go home.

It doesn't feel like home.

Keith is gone and my mom hates me.

I don't have anyone.

I parked outside and just sat there in the car, trying not to cry again. I had to stop. I had to stop feeling sorry for myself. It's on me. Peyton says it isn't my fault. But she's wrong. Even my mom thinks it's my fault. It has to be. I should have just made Keith go with or just not even gone in there.

I should have done something to save him.

But then my phone went off five times. It was my mom. I guess she wanted to make sure I wasn't dead. I turn the car off and head inside; I don't want to punish her any more than I have.

Karen's POV

Lucas was gone.

Oh why did I have to go off like that? Why did I say those things? It wasn't his fault. I was angry at myself. And now my son is off, god knows where?

I call him five times and he doesn't pick up. Is he okay? Where is Lucas?

But then before I was about to call a sixth time, he comes in through the door.

"Lucas." I say and walk over to him as he walks in looking—I don't even know how describe how he looks. I frowned. I knew he was hurting; of course, I helped with that, didn't?

"Don't worry mom, I'm not dead."

"Lucas—"

"I won't punish you anymore."

"Lucas, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."

"I'm sure you did." Lucas said as he walks past me and into his bedroom. "You were right anyways." He said as he sat down on the edge of his bed. I stood by the doorway, not sure if it was right for me to go in there just yet. "It was my fault. You were only saying what was true. If I hadn't—Keith would be here."

"Lucas—" He won't let me get a word.

"I'm sorry—Keith's dead and it's all my fault. I'm sorry. I want to tell you that I wish I didn't go in there, but I can't because of Peyton. I can't tell you that I'm sorry and make this all okay. Keith's gone and he's never coming back. And I'm still here." Lucas said as tears streamed down his face. I felt my heart breaking at looking at him. He was hurting. He was hurting and what did I do? I hurt him more. My son was hurting and all I was too blinded by anger and pain to see his own.

"Maybe Dan was right all along. Maybe it would have been the right decision to abort me."

"No Lucas—" I stood there in front of him as he cried. "Don't say that. You don't ever say that."

"It's my fault—"

"No, it's not." I tell him. "Lucas, it's not your fault. You know, Keith. He was a good man and he would have went in there if you were there or not. And you went in there because, Keith is one of the reasons you are the man you are today. You saved Peyton's life." I told him, forcing him to look at me. I tried to keep myself from crying; but I couldn't. "And—I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it. I was so angry and upset at myself, that I took it out on you. I could see how badly you were hurting."

Lucas tried to speak, but found himself all choked up.

"I-I miss him and—I don't know what to do." Lucas cried. "I n-need you, mom."

I wrapped my arms tightly around Lucas and held him closely as he and I began to cry again. "It's okay, I'm here." I said as I tried to hide my crying. "I love you, Lucas."

"I love you mom."

"It'll be okay. We'll get through this."

I knew we would. I knew Keith was right; we would be okay as long as Lucas and I had each other. We needed each other now.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on FFN in 2017 after watching 3x17. I cried when Karen snapped at Lucas. That was just as heartbreaking as Keith dying.


End file.
